Given name & surname
Juan
“God is gracious”
In Spanish use, Juan shares an earlier linguistic root with John. The traditional meaning is “God is gracious.” It belongs to the Hebrew name Johanan, which predates the shorter English form.
Original Spanishฆัวน
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Spanish use, Juan carries the interpretation “God is gracious.” In Spanish use, Juan shares an earlier linguistic root with John. The traditional meaning is “God is gracious.” It belongs to the Hebrew name Johanan, which predates the shorter English form.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Spanish.
How it developed
In Spanish use, Juan is used as a form of John. In Spanish use, Juan shares an earlier linguistic root with John. The shared background comes through John: Greek Iōannēs represents a contracted form of Johanan; Latin used Johannes, and English developed John. The different language forms preserve the name family without all sharing the same spelling or pronunciation.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In Spanish use, Juan shares an earlier linguistic root with John. The history of John gives this family its wider story. John the Baptist is associated with baptism in the River Jordan, while John the Apostle is the fisherman and brother of James. Later saints, popes and rulers extended the name’s reach. Christian tradition also identifies the apostle with John the Evangelist, although that identification is debated.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Juan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 368,366
- 365,606 boys · 2,760 girls
- Most popular year
- 2005
- 8,257 babies
- 2025
- 2,318
- #159 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −13%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 2,318 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 159 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 13.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 8,231 in 2005. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (601). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 655,696 as a first name in 2020; 8,025 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Juan’s family of names
Juan has an affectionate form in Juanita. Juan shares a linguistic root with John. In Spanish usage, Juan has a conventional equivalent in the English form Sean.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Juan has relatives in 48 languages. Lines run from its Spanish roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 20
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 4
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 106
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Juanafeminine form · Spanish
- JackEnglish
- Johndoublet · English
- IanEnglish
- GiovanniItalian
- Evanequivalent
- IvanManx
- Gianniequivalent
Show 52 moreShow fewer
- Johnnyequivalent
- SeanEnglish
- Johanolder form · Swedish, Dutch
- JonasLithuanian
- YahyaTurkish
- JoanCatalan
- Shawndoublet · English
- Jeandoublet · French, English
- Jonequivalent
- Gianequivalent
- HansGerman
- Joaoequivalent
- Giannisequivalent
- JovanSerbo-Croatian
- JohannGerman
- Geovanniequivalent
- JanPolish, German
- Junequivalent
- Yannisequivalent
- Ioannisequivalent
- Yanniequivalent
- Yiannisequivalent
- JensNorwegian Bokmål, Danish
- IonRomanian, Basque
- Ivoequivalent
- Yvanequivalent
- IainScottish Gaelic
- YannBreton
- Giovanequivalent
- Jehanequivalent
- IoanRomanian, Welsh
- JaanEstonian
- Hannesequivalent
- Hannsequivalent
- Iwanequivalent
- Antjuanderivative · English
- Wanderivative · cal
- GjonAlbanian
- Ieuanequivalent
- Ivanoequivalent
- Jóhanequivalent
- Yeonequivalent
- Siônequivalent
- Erwannequivalent
- Zuanequivalent
- 연equivalent
- Ioannequivalent
- Joannesequivalent
- Huwanequivalent
- Chuanequivalent
- Giuànequivalent
- Jónequivalent
And 46 more.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Juan
- Juan Carlos IKing of Spain from 1975 to 2014born 1938
- Evo Moralespresident of Bolivia from 2006 to 2019born 1959
- Juan Ramón JiménezSpanish poet (1881–1958)
- Juan Manuel Santospresident of Colombia from 2010 to 2018born 1951
- Juan Perónpresident of Argentina (1946–55, 1973–74)1895–1974
- John of the CrossSpanish mystic and Roman Catholic saint (1542–1591)
- Juan Manuel FangioArgentine racing driver (1911–1995)
- JuanesColombian musician (born 1972)
- Juan GuaidóVenezuelan politician and former President of the National Assembly (1983)
Characters named Juan: Juan Valdez (Colombian advertising character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Juan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Manuel
“God is with us”
>99% boys
Aaron
“Exalted” · “mountain of strength”
>99% boys
Diego
“he who supplants”
>99% boys
Daniel
“God is my judge”
>99% boys
Jose
“God will add” · “God shall add”
>99% boys
Nathan
“he has given” · “God has given”
>99% boys
Josh
“God . is salvation” · “God is salvation”
>99% boys
Jomari
“to add”
>99% boys